Communication Strategies to Introduce Psychology Services

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Status: Completed

Conditions: Malignant Neoplasms of Independent (Primary) Multiple Sites

Treatments: Behavioral: Questionnaires; Other: Video Presentation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03035448

2016-0679

NCI-2018-01285 (Registry Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this research study is to learn about advanced cancer patients' preferences about how psychology services are introduced.

This is an investigational study.

Up to 110 participants will be enrolled in this study. All will take part at MD Anderson.

Full description

If you agree to take part in this study, during an already-scheduled office visit, you will complete 3 questionnaires about your symptoms, your emotional health, and if you have ever participated in psychiatric or psychology services. These questionnaires should take about 9 minutes to complete.

All participants will watch 2 short videos. The videos show actors playing a doctor, counselor, and patient, discussing psychology service options. Each video is about 1 minute and 30 seconds long and will discuss the same material, but the content of each video will be different. The order in which they are presented will be randomly assigned (as in the flip of a coin). You will have an equal chance of seeing either video first.

After you watch the second video, you will complete 3 questionnaires about whether you think 1 of the videos was better than the other, and about your attitude toward psychology services. These questionnaires should take about 4 minutes to complete.

Length of Study:

It should take about 16 minutes to watch both videos and to complete all questionnaires. Your participation on this study will be over after you have completed the last questionnaire.

Other Information:

We will ask your caregiver(s) to leave the room while the videos are played. In case they decide to stay, we will ask them to keep silent.

Enrollment: 101 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Age >/= 18 years-old
2. Can speak, read, and understand English
3. Diagnosis of locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic disease
4. Patients treated as outpatients by the supportive and palliative care team
5. Normal cognitive status as determined by the interviewer based on the ability to understand the nature of the study and consent process

Exclusion criteria

1. Previous psychological counseling received in supportive care department
2. Patients with severe symptom distress as assessed by nursing staff

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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101 participants in 2 patient groups

Video 1: Counselor Alone

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete 3 assessment questionnaires during an already-scheduled office visit. Participant watches 2 videos showing actors playing a doctor, counselor, and patient, discussing psychology service options. Participant completes 3 questionnaires after watching the second video about whether they think 1 of the videos was better than the other, and about their attitude toward psychology services.

Treatment:

Other: Video Presentation

Behavioral: Questionnaires

Video 2: Doctor + Counselor

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete 3 assessment questionnaires during an already-scheduled office visit. Participant watches 2 videos showing actors playing a doctor, counselor, and patient, discussing psychology service options. Participant completes 3 questionnaires after watching the second video about whether they think 1 of the videos was better than the other, and about their attitude toward psychology services.

Treatment:

Other: Video Presentation

Behavioral: Questionnaires